Image capture system improves defect detection tool, says firm

A new digital image capture system enhances the monitoring capability of optical sorters for food products, claims Key Technology.

The company said that its new FMAlert feature for all G6 optical sorters is a powerful food safety tool as it enables sorters to capture and save a digital image of objects identified as foreign material (FM).

Optical sorters are used for food products like fruits, vegetables, nets, potato strips, snack foods, confectionary and seafood. They are used to detect and remove defects and foreign material from such products and attempt to improve the historical trade-off between product quality and yield.

Larreau said that by tracking such objects early in the process, firms can avoid the problems defective items could cause to their product line.

Corrective action

He told FoodProductionDaily.com that the development of FMAlert was driven by the needs of select processors with a zero tolerance for critical foreign materials in their products:

“These processors want to not only remove foreign material from the production line, but to know what the material is so they can verify its removal and identify quality problems and take corrective action.

“For example, if conveyor belt pieces are found in the product stream, the processor can quickly check upstream equipment conditions and correct the problem,” said Larreau.

Downloadable images

He said that G6 optical sorters can be connected to a plant-wide network and programmed to alert operators or administrators if certain predefined conditions occur:

“Images can be viewed locally on the sorter’s graphical user interface, downloaded to a USB stick connected to the sorter, or viewed over a network connection,” explained Larreau.

Installation

He said that adding FMAlert to an existing G6 sorter such as Optyx, Tegra, Manta sorters or legacy sorters is as simple as updating the KeyWare application software.

“FMAlert settings, along with all other product settings, can be predefined for each product produced on the line, and stored and retrieved for fast and easy product changeover,” continued Larreau.

He said that the company can customize the software to capture images of objects that match specific criteria for size, shape, colour, and if the sorter is equipped with Raptor or FluoRaptor laser technology, differences in the objects’ structural properties such as the absence of chlorophyll.

Larreau said that the exact cost of the FMAlert depends on the application required.

This content is copyright protected

However, if you would like to share the information in this article, you may use the headline, summary and link below:

Related products

On-Demand Supplier Webinar

09-Jan-2015 - Coldpress MD Andrew Gibb is an High Pressure Processing (HPP) pioneer, and here he tells us about his brand’s acceleration in the UK following its late 2013 listing with Tesco and progress in other markets, and shines light on the...

On-Demand Supplier Webinar

09-Jan-2015 - Industry experts ask to what extent suppliers ‘lead’ consumers or brands in terms of inspiring new drinks trends or are they more reactive?
How is process technology driving ‘hot’ new product categories?
What are the packaging implications of your process choice?
Will ‘premium’...

Technical / white paper

31-Mar-2015 - Close management of the supply chain to ensure the right product is delivered at the right time to the right place in the right condition is a driving ethos of supply chain management. When the product is perishable, the task...

Data sheet

24-Mar-2015 - To keep ensuring the best offer in terms of innovation and products development, OCME has launched a new high quality serie on the market: the ALPHA rangeComposed of the Pegasus Alpha (palletizing robot) and the Vega Alpha (Shrink-wrapping machine, from...